Navy & white stripes, Anthropologie-inspired tunic

Navy & white stripes, Anthropologie-inspired tunic

• 2.03.2015

You may remember how sometimes I like to do knockoffs. Like, make a very close copy of something from a store, and see how close I can get my version or make it slightly different than the original but better for me. It may not seem like the greatest opportunity for creativity in sewing, but it does provide a different kind of challenge. (Some fave examples of this: my DIY J.Crew Factory scalloped shift dress tutorial and my grey and lace gathered bodice ModCloth dress.) And of course tons of embellished tees from 2010!

The original for this knockoff is one of last year's Anthropologie tunics (the Anthropologie Sapony Tunic, sold out). And, I guess I'm on a roll with patch pockets, because the technique for the pockets on this was very similar to that of the leather patch pockets in this tutorial/DIY post. But this project was from scratch--a blue and white knit I found at a thrift store--and involved creative pattern modification and a serger!

When I found the fabric, I decided to make it work for this top, even though it's not quite the same weight. I wanted to give my version darts to make it a little more flattering, and I modified a woven dress pattern (Simplicity 2584, which I use a lot, for both dresses and tops because it's easy to modify for length, sleeves, etc.). I probably could have cut down the neckline and lengthened the sleeves even more than I did, but I don't think I was looking at the original when I cut it out... so I just made it what I felt like at the time.

I sewed the long seams at my mom's house on this project--I used her serger! It really helps for sewing on knits like this. The side and shoulder seams are so small and flat compared to seams with bulky or pinked seam allowances.

Check out the leather patch pocket tutorial I did the other week to see how these pockets are made!

I used a lightly textured woven cotton stretch twill for the pockets and bias band at the neck.

Bummer it took me so long to make this, but it's kind of trans-seasonal (or season-less, depending how you look at it) so it still works. Plus, this is the time of year when we see lots of navy, white, preppy, resort-ey early spring stuff in the stores. Perfect!

And the weather's been so nice I don't even need to bother finding a warm coat layer to cover it up with!

Try it at home!